COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 6, 2004) -- Space Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Elliot G. Pulham today applauded Congress for approving a fiscal year 2005 spending bill that includes increased funding for NASA's space efforts and lays the foundation for implementing the nation's new Vision for Space Exploration. "The Space Foundation applauds the United States Congress for committing our nation to the most ambitious space exploration program since Apollo. Set in motion by President Bush, the Vision for Space Exploration has now earned the bipartisan support of Congress, which today approved a spending bill that provides full funding of NASA's $16.2 billion FY 2005 budget request. This budget signals a solid endorsement of that Vision - a vision which survey data has shown to be strongly embraced by the American people. "Credit lies with many Members of Congress who were personally involved with the process, especially House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Rep. Bud Cramer and Rep. Dave Weldon who, along with President Bush and NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, all get top billing as the architects of this bipartisan budgetary and policy success. This is an important and vital step for our nation and allows the space community to fully embark on the Vision's roadmap for returning the space shuttle to flight, completing the International Space Station, returning to the moon and then moving to Mars and beyond. The Space Foundation looks forward to working with the Congress, the administration and the space industry to help implement this bold new era of exploration." About the Space Foundation Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that vigorously advances civil, commercial, and national security space endeavors and educational excellence. The Space Foundation has offices in Washington, D.C., and Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Space Foundation annually conducts, along with its partnering organizations, the National Space Symposium, scheduled April 4-7, 2005, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs; and Strategic Space 2005, scheduled Oct. 4-6, 2005, in Omaha, Neb. For more information, visit www.spacefoundation.org.